Automobile-top.



L M. WORKMAN.

AUToMoBlLB TOP.

APELICATION FILED APR.7,1913. y lggqgn v Patented Jan.5,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1A wf s' W' i M I J0 f 1 o a 0 9 a7 '5W J. M. WORKMAN.

AUTOMOBILE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 1913.

Patea @11.51915 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor frame 7 carried by the front or rst bow 1.

' The rst and second bows are connected y by folding braces 8; the.second and third s bows'are connected by the folding braces @andthethird-and fourth bows are connected 'by the 'folding braces 10; thefolding braces being'pivoted to the respective bows adjoinino the crownsthereof, or at the ioupper ends 'ot the uprights or stiles of the *bows*Each of the braces embodies two sections.' ivoted to the respective bowsand connecte by a knuckle joint, so that the sections naaylfold togetherdownwardly when the top is'lfolded orcollapsed. J The braces 8, 9 and 10are dis osed Aoiu the exterior, while a pair ofioldlng braces 11 connectthe third or pivoted bow 3 and the rear top irons 12 carried by thevehicle body at the sides of the rear seat, the braces 11 being disposedon the interior. The braces 11 stand diagonally A when thetop iserected, 'o1' connect the rear 4 top irons 12 with the inner sides ofthe upper ends .of the Stiles or uprights of the "bird or pivoted bow 3.The braces 11 each Vembody two sections pivoted to the bow 3 and therespective iron 12 and connected by a knuckle "ointso that' the sectionsmay fold together downwardly and forwardly. If the respective foldingbraces 8 and 9 were independently pivoted to. the respective bows, itwould be evident that a person mov- Ving the "tiret and second bows backand forth would have slome ditliculty in doing tli'fso, for the reasonthat there would be nothing to constrain the two sides of the -irnws tomove together or in unison. In :order 'to overcome this disadvantage,the

I S and 9a have been journaled through sglthe uprights of the first andsecond bows, 'ftiieforward 'sectonskof the braces 8 being attachedrigidly to the shaft 8a and the for A.wa-rd.sections Aof the braces' 9being attached i, diy to theshaft 9, while the other sec- :.ti'ons .ofthe said braces are connected loosely `:to the shaft 9'a and the bow 3,respe/ctively. Thus, the folding braces 8 and 9 will be constrained totfold simultaneously at the -oppo- :eite sigles, so that if one uprightof each of ,aol the .ilrst and second 'bows is moved fory'tt/endl orrearwardly, the other or opposite ,npri lit .will be moved therewith,thereby anni in binding or other difficulty in fold- ,"ing-nnu.unfolding the top. Similar shafts maybe attached to the third andfourth bows-they having no function, further than `,tobrace the bows andto serve as a pivot for lftherespective braces. I'

' A pair 4of side curtains 13 are slidably so :carried by the first andsecond bows; a pair 'of'similar curtains 14 are carried by the secfsladand third bows; and similar curtains 15 are .carried by the third andfourth bows. riiflach of the curtains is constructed of suitableatF-leaible rainproof material, preferably simimesses lar to the coveror canopy 5, and also embodies a flexible metallic frame 16 to which thesaid material is secured, the frame and fabric having a pair of openingsover which are secured transparent panels 17 of flexiblc material.

A track 18 .is secured to each side of a 4 vehicle body along the upperedge, the. tracks being preferably or necessarily constructed insections carried by the doors and respective stationary walls of thebody. When the doors are closed, the track sections will be in alinementso as to provide a continuous track from the first bow to the third bow.y

To the ends of the first and second bows l and 2 there are secured thebow or rib irons 19 and a pin 20 is passed slidably through each iron19, and carries a track engaging 4member 21 at its inner end. Themembers or slides 21 slidably engage the track 18, and the pins 20permit the slides 21 to move to and from the rib irons 19 should thetracks not be parallel, as would be the case with vehicle bodiesnarrower at the front than the rear. To the ends of the third or pivotedbow 3, there are secured the bow or rib irons 22, which are pivoted tothe sides of the vehicle body, the irons 22 having track extensions 23,which Ordinarily aline with the track proper 18, that is, when the topis erected or unfolded.

The rear or fourth bow is supported from the rear top irons 12 by meansof a pair of arms or links 24, which are pivoted to the uprights orstiles of the bow Llat an intermediate point and which are pivoted tothe outer ends of the rear top irons 12. The arms or links 24 permit therear or fourth bow 4 to swing rearwardly and downwardly against thethird or pivoted bow 3, when the top is folded, as will be seen in Fig.2, and when the bow 4, is erected, the arms or links 24 will standalmost erect, the bow Il currying stops 25 adapted to contact with thearms .or links 24 to limit the forward movement of the bow l when thestop is erected. The arms or links 24 are spring pressed, as will beseen by reference to Fig. 16, wherein the arm or link 21 is shownpivoted to the iron12, the end of the arm or link 24 being provided witha socket 2G in which a coiled wire spring 27 is housed. The spring 2'(passes around the iron 1 2 und is secured at its ends to the iron andlink 24 respectively, so as to give an upward yielding tension to thearm or link 24. Thus, as the rear bow is lowered or folded, so as toswing the arms or links 24 backwardly and downwardly2 the springs 27will be brought under tension, so that when the top is unfolded orerected the bow will be con veniently brought to position.

To the ends of the rear bow 4, there are sc- The respective braces 8, 9,10 and l1 may then be straightened or forced upwardly into position, soas to brace the bows or ribs in position and to thereby provide asubstantial frame Work for the top. As the bows or ribs are unfolded,the respective 'curtains will unfold with the cover 5, and the curtainswill again be in position to be slid downwardly over the sides, toprovide a protection `against rain, snow and other atmosphericVconditions The peak may also be opened by straightening out the ,braces37 as will be evident. The rail engaging members or slides 2l may heretained- 'only be slid up and down so as to open and close the entranceways, and may not only be folded with the bows or ribs, buhare alsoprovided with window lights, to admit light into the top and to permitof vision through the curtains when they are lowered. Notwithstandingthe provision of the frames for the curtains and window lights, eachcurtain may readily fold with the cover 5 when the curtains have beenslid into the crown of the frame or under the cover From the foregoing.taken in connection with the drawings, the advantages and capabilitiesof the dev-ice will be apparent, it being noted that the objects havebeen carried out satisfactorily, and that the present top provides adesirable one for the purposes for which it is designed. ln themodifications illustrated in the Figs. 17, 18, and 1,9, the bows or ribs2 and 3 have been provided with alternate bow or rib irons which may beemployed wit-hout the tracks, when the vehicle body may not beconveniently provided with the tracks.

rIhus, the pivoted bow or rib 3 is provided With a bracket or armQQwhich is pivoted to the vehicle body, and the first and second orfront bows or ribs 2 are provided with suitable brackets or arms 19which are attachable to each other and to the bracket-s .or arms 2Q ofthe' pivoted bow 3. so that the respective bows or ribs may be attachedtogether when folded. in order to be swung overI the rear seat or inback of the body. The details of the bow or rib irons Q2 and 19 are ofno particular moment and need not be further considered.

lf desired, a drop curtain may be carried b v the fourth or rear bow 4to close the rear end of the. top. and \.a similar curtain may becarried by the first or front bow l, and especially if a wind shield isnot employed.

As illustrated in Figs.. 20, 2l, and Q2, the rib or bow 30 isconstructed from a strip of sheet metal bent to form opposed slidewaysor guides for the curtains, the rib or how being of approximatelyS-shape in cross section. Thus, the rib or bow is constructed of a stripof metal, and a wooden crown piece 2 is secured upon the outer leafthereof for the purpose of supporting the cover. lilith these ribs orbows the cross shaft 9 is attached to the inner leaves, and the foldingbraces are necessarily disposed on the inner sides of the ribs or bows,as the shafts cannot pass through ribs or bows, which would interferewith the operation of the curtains.

l-laving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. ln a vehicle top, a pair of bows adapted to fold together and havingslideways therealong, and a curtain embodying flexible sheet metalstrips slidably engaging the slideways, two sheet metal frame sectionshinged together at adjoining edges and having their remote edges hingedto the said strips, a fabric facing attached to the said strips andsections, the facing and frame sections having registering openingstherein,l and transparent panels secured to the frame sections over thesaid openings.

'2. In a vehicle top, a plurality of bows adapted to fold together, andhaving rabbets extending from end to end, strips secured to thel bowsand having beads cooperating with the rabbets, and curtains eachembodying a frame and a fabric facing secured thereto, the frameconstituting flexible edge strips engaging the respective rabbets andhaving lips struck therefrom and engaging in back of the respectivebeads, and flexible hinged window sections hinged to the respective lastmentioned strips. y

3. ln a vehicle top, a pivoted bow, a rear bow, rear top irons, foldingbraces connecting the pivoted bow and the rear bow and top irons,respectively, and links connecting the top irons and the rear bow, thelinks normallyprojecting upward from the top irons when the rear bow iserected and be.- ing adapted to swing downward to permit the pivoted bowto seat on the rear bow.

4. ln a vehicle. top, a pivoted bow, a rear bow, rear top irons, foldingbraces connecting the pivoted bow with the rear bow and top irons.respectively, spring pressed links connecting the top irons and the rearbow, and stops carried bythe rear bow to engage 'the said links to limitthe forward movement of the rear bow.

In a. vehicle top, a plurality of bows arranged to slide to and fromeach other, cross shafts carried by the bows` and folding bracesconnected to the shafts, certain of the brace sections being securedrigidly to the shafts and the other sections being loosely connected tothe shafts, to constrain braces at the respective sides to fold inunison.

6. In combination With a. vehicle body,

masses d tracks married by the sides thereof, a pivoted bow at the rearends of the tracks, having a'ttaebng means ooperating with 4vthe tracks,hows having" means slidably engag- Jeg the tracks and attachable to theaforev said means to swing rearwardly therewith,

- @ross shafts carried by the bows, and foldpoints cooperating with theaforesaid tracks, a second bow, and members slidably carried by thesecond bow and having means slidably engaging the said tracks andadapted to be slid onto the said track extensions.

In testimony that I claim 'the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

J AMES MINOR WGRKMAN.

Witnesses:

C. C. SIMPsoN, D. W. PAYNE.

